Priority is claimed with respect to German Application No. 198 53 361.6-22 filed in Germany on Nov. 19, 1998, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to a motor vehicle with a load-space securing element, the load space being bounded in a rear region by a moveable rear-section arrangement.
Such load-space securing elements are generally known, in particular, for estate cars. The load-space securing element has a separating net which is secured in the vicinity of a back rest of a rear seat bench and can be drawn out of a cassette-type casing into a protective position which vertically separates the rear space from the load space.
A load-space securing element for securing loads in position on a load area of the load-space is also known (DE 196 34 104 C1). The latter has a flexible net which can be stretched over appropriate loads on the load area using lateral extension straps. As a result, the loads are secured in position on the load area, and thus on the floor of the load space.
The object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle of the type mentioned at the beginning in which protection of persons located in or around the vehicle is improved.
This object is achieved in that a flexible planar structure unit is provided as load-space securing element, said unit being arranged extended in a protective position in the vicinity of the moveable rear-section arrangement in such a way that loads which are located in the load space, or at least a person who is located on a seat arrangement facing counter to the direction of travel in the load space is protected, points of attachment to the vehicle bodywork being provided for securing the planar structure unit in the extended protective position. Here, the rear-section arrangement may be permanently arranged in the protective position or else arranged so as to be moveable between a home position and the protective position. The planar structure unit can be composed of a single-component planar structure or of a plurality of planar structures. Furthermore, the planar structure unit can extend within the load space directly in front of the rear-section arrangement or outwards over the rear-section arrangement. The planar structure unit can also be extended merely over a rear-window cut-out or else over the entire rear cut-out, closed by the rear-section arrangement, of the bodyshell. In each case, the planar structure unit is positioned fixed to the vehicle in the protective position, in which case it is secured to appropriate, stationary parts of the bodyshell in order to ensure that persons or loads are reliably restrained. By virtue of the fact that the planar structure unit is positioned in the vicinity of the moveable rear-section arrangement, the planar structure unit is located in the direct vicinity of the rear-section arrangement, whether on the outside or the inside. The load-space capacity is thus not adversely affected by the planar structure unit. Load space is understood to be the load space of estate cars, of large-capacity limousines or of commercial vehicles, as well as the boot of a passenger car with a notchback, sloping or steep rear-end.
In a refinement of the invention, the planar structure unit is arranged so as to be moveable between a home position and an extended protective position. In the home position, the flexible planar structure unit is preferably rolled up, collapsed or folded together at a suitable point, positioned fixed to the vehicle at the side, at the top or at the bottom. The planar structure unit can be moved into the protective position manually or by means of a drive. It can also be coupled to the movement of the rear-section arrangement, which can be designed as a single-component tailgate or rear-end door or else as a multicomponent tailgate or rear-end door or as a boot lid.
In a further refinement of the invention, guide means, are provided for the planar structure unit, said means being arranged fixed to the vehicle bodywork in the vicinity of a rear cut-out, closed by the rear-section arrangement, in the bodyshell. As a result, a drawing-out movement and a retraction movement of the planar structure unit between the home position and the protective position are ensured. The guide means may be designed as rails or as rolling sections or sliding sections and are laid along the contour of the rear-section arrangement, at least over part of the height of the rear-section arrangement. A boot lid of a passenger car with notchback rear-end also serves as a rear-section arrangement.
In a further refinement of the invention, deflection means are assigned to the guide means to permit three-dimensional extension in accordance with a contour of the rear-section arrangement. This makes it possible to extend the planar structure unit three-dimensionally in the protective position in a curved or angled fashion. This is advantageous in particular in passenger cars with an angled or curved tailgate or with a boot lid because, despite the corresponding, three-dimensional shaping of the respective rear-section arrangement, the planar structure unit is extended in a space-saving way which does not influence the capacity of the load space.
In a further refinement of the invention, the planar structure unit is designed as a roller blind which can be wound down from a roller shaft, the roller shaft being mounted fixed to the bodywork. This is a particularly simple variant in which the planar structure unit is accommodated in its home position in a particularly space-saving way in the load space.
In a further refinement of the invention, the planar structure unit is dimensioned in such a way that in the protective position it extends over a rear-window region.
In a further refinement of the invention, in the protective position the planar structure unit extends over the entire rear cut-out.
In a further refinement of the invention, the planar structure unit is of at least partially transparent design. This refinement ensures that in its protective position the planar structure unit does not adversely affect the driver""s visibility to the rear.